You Too Can Be a DIY Superhero

Average guys and gals now have the ability to transform themselves into ComicCon-style superheroes using the power of technology.

I just received an email from my friends at Texas Instruments. They say that when most people hear the word "superhero," they picture a caped crusader who saves the world from destruction. This is, of course, especially true when it comes to the folks who attend ComicCon, which is currently taking place in San Diego from Thursday, July 18 to Sunday, July 21. (I really wish I was there!)

By comparison, the folks at TI say that when they think of superheroes, they also consider the everyday person who's changing the world in extraordinary ways: "People who engineer the world around us, enabling innovative technology to not only protect us, but also improve our communities and make our lives more fun."

That's us they are talking about -- we members of the engineering fraternity ("Engineers R Us") -- my mother will be so proud!

The chaps and chappesses at TI go on to say that in the spirit of celebrating engineers, makers, and other DIY-ers, they wanted to demonstrate how average guys and gals now have the ability to transform themselves into ComicCon-style superheroes using the power of technology.

Thus, in the infographic comic strip below, they've outfitted an "Average Joe" with technology that shows just how easy it can be to experience life as a superhero:

That is fairly cute. I guess they had to avoid actually showing tech that they didn't have rights to or something because they could have easily shown how a normal person could become superman with existing tech.

There are exoskeletons, augmented reality, and adaptive armor that would be more impressive than "I have LEDs on my chest".

Not to mention the stuff going on in the DIY area (in the title!) where people are mounting flame throwers to their wrists, designing jet packs, etc.

A wonderful comic - I especially like the numerical factoids which connect the fantasy with reality. I can imagine it might actually capture the imagination of a young scientist - it certainly would have caught my eye.